


A Letter

by Astrumiel



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 14:04:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10900875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrumiel/pseuds/Astrumiel
Summary: Little tumblr ficlet idea that came from a conversation and a lot of musings about Laurent being welcomed into the royal family.





	A Letter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onekingdomonce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onekingdomonce/gifts).



It felt strange to spend the morning apart from Damen, especially as they were both in the palace with no urgent business to keep them apart. Well not quite, there was of course the most urgent business in all the kingdoms keeping them apart this morning.

“Exalted, please be still for a moment longer I’m almost done.” One of the ladies, Thia was her name, requested as she gently wove the golden laurels through his long hair.

Laurent smiled slight at her in apology for fidgeting again. He was unused to someone doing his hair for him, it had been many long years since anyone had done this. Not since his own sweet mother had taken a soft brush to his golden child curls actually. For a moment he let himself wonder what she would have thought of him today. Sitting tall in a garb of finest silk, light and billowy with just a touch of blue as though the fabric had been pulled through the sea and some color clung to it. The fabric was all Akielos but decorations stitched into it were traditional of Vere. A perfect union. 

He wondered is his mother would have liked it. This time the smile was a little sadder and private, he hadn’t known his mother for very long. Though enough to remember her love for him, for little things like the deep blue-violet irises that decorated the lawns at Arles, her love of sweets, for her kingdom. 

“Exalted?” A question now.

“Yes, what is it?” He asked pulling himself out of the memories slowly. Blinking to see himself in the mirror with Thia at his side and another woman hesitating at the door.

“Come in.” He said waiting for the servant girls hands to finish their flurry of movement before he turned. 

The woman was older than he first realized, she walked slowly but steadily towards him. “Get her a seat.” He requested. 

She offered him a short bow before sinking down into the seat gratefully. “Forgive me Exalted my youth is far behind me these days.” She said and Laurent waved off her apology. “What’s brought you here today?”

“I am Leto,Exalted one. Our good Lady Egeria left instructions for this day.” Leto said nodding to the box in her hands. She held it out for Laurent to take. 

He hesitated, surely the woman didn’t mean it to be for him. “Leto are you sure this is not meant Damianos?” 

At that a smile cracked on the old woman and she laughed a little, contagious enough that Laurent felt an echo of it build on his own lips. 

“The King has his own gift from her lady, no this one is for you I am certain.” Leto said holding the box out still.  
It was beautiful, done in the old style all carved sea wood inlaid with pearls. Gently he lifted it open. Under the lid was a single page written in very elegant Akielonian. 

He let himself linger on the long lines of the letter before actually attempting to read it. An unfamiliar word at the beginning gave him pause. He could see it scattered throughout the letter. 

“I’m afraid my linguistics fail me here.” Laurent said showing the old woman the page. 

“Mmm, our Dear Lady wrote this just before her son was born. Her pregnancy was not easy and I think she knew she would not live to see her little one grow. The word is old, like me, not used so much anymore. It means something like “beloved of my child”.” She paused as though studying Laurent for a moment. “It used to be used by mothers greeting those that their sons brought home to wed.”

Startled and touched Laurent looked at the letter again. 

_Beloved-of-my-child,_

__

__

_I wish I could meet you, the one who will bring to my son’s life a new joy. To see the happiness on his face as he leads you into your new home. I do not think this will be so, in my short time I can only hope to wish you all the blessings a mother can._

_Beloved-of-my-child, may you always find safety and happiness in your home. May your tied lives bring forth prosperity and joy, may your vows never break or waver. In darkest times may you find in each other a light to lead you on._

_I welcome you into this family as a new child of mine. Please take care of my son._

There was no signature, only a symbol that Laurent had seen carved into the box earlier. 

“Your Majesty?” Thia asked alarmed. 

“I’m alright.” Laurent said but his voice didn’t carry the same message. 

“Let him be child, this is a moment that requires tears sometimes.” Leto said wisely resting a hand on Laurent for a moment, for comfort. 

Two tears escaped before he took a breath and folded the page back to place it back in the box. “Thank you Leto, this was a beautiful gift, you’ve done your Lady a great service bringing this to me today.” He moved to put the box on the table by the mirror. 

“Wait yet.” Leto said. “There is more.” She pulled back the letter and then lifted the velvet in the box to show what was hidden inside it. 

“Stars above.” Thia whispered surprised. 

“It is tradition for a mother to welcome a bride or groom into the family with a gift.” Leto said pulling out the little pin and fastening it properly to the silk of Laurent’s shirt. “I think it would have pleased her to see you wearing this.” 

The pin was a little bird, edged with gold and made of precious sea stones and shells that seemed to ripple like the ocean when it caught the light. “Blue and gold just like you.” Leto mused. 

“I don’t know what to say.” Laurent told her running a finger over the pin gently, reverently. 

“Do Our Lady a great thanks and say your vows proudly.” Leto suggested standing slowly from her chair. 

Laurent nodded, gesturing for Thia to help her to the door. He seldom had a moment to put the letter back in the little box when a knock sounded from the door. 

“Exalted, it’s time.” Jord called from the door. 

 

The hall of the great Bordeaux border palace was built in a strange but beautiful mix of styles. High white marble columns and decorative arches and windows of colored glass. Damen was already waiting on the other side of the hall, waiting to start his way towards Laurent and meet him in the middle where the sun shone like a beacon through the colored glass staining the floor below in gold and violet. 

As soon as Damen caught sight of him his Kingly composure slipped. There was no way to miss the smile that graced his face, not even when he brought a hand to his face to stop the tears that came with the smile. It was very possible that the only reason that he didn’t run to Laurent at that moment is because Nikandros was there to stop him. 

If ever before this Laurent had ever felt so touched, so loved and wanted he couldn’t quite recall. As soon as they reached each other Damen’s hand came up to take his. A smile so hopelessly enamoured it had to be returned, was still there. Before the officiant could even speak the opening words Damen bowed his forehead against Laurent’s. 

“Forgive me I seem to need a moment.” He whispered. 

A breathless laugh passed Laurent’s lips and he nodded feeling the same. “Fortunately it seems that we have exactly what we need.” Laurent whispered back, holding still until Damen pulled back, took his other hand in his own and began the first of their vows.


End file.
